Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she’s a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she’s a disgrace; to design mavens, she’s a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom. Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to … Antarctica. But Bernadette’s intensifying allergy to Seattle–and people in general–has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic. To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, secret correspondence–creating a compulsively readable and touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter’s role in an absurd world.
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Wonderful and quirky novel by a Seattle author!
“Unpredictable” should be a category option for this laugh out loud book. Love this funny, fast-paced book. Hey maybe “LOL” could also be a category?
I flew through this book. It was incredibly entertaining and a great read. Loved every minute.
Okay, so this book was a trip, start to finish. That trip sped up about 2/3 through, to the point I wondered if Bernadette literally WAS on a drug trip…I won’t spoil things, but I will say that the resolution of the book was entirely satisfactory and wrapped things up in a way I could appreciate. It’s one of those books that makes you feel like …
As someone who relocated to the Seattle area 17 years ago — just like Bernadette — I am having way too much fun reading this book. Anyone in the mood for a lighthearted, hilarious story, largely told through a ridiculous string of emails, should read this. And read it quick, as the Seattle this book so viciously satires is changing fast and I …
This book wasn’t bad but I didn’t see the humor in it. Bernadette is a creative genus but she is just suffocating in her house and she can’t seem to get out from under all her issues.
Bee was promised if she got all A’s the whole way through primary school she could have what ever she wanted and that a was trip to Antarctica .
Everything …
Bernadette is a hot mess. My book group chose this book to read. The story is told through the daughter’s (Bee) point of view. Through letters and emails, she discovers more than she wanted to know about her crazy mother. Bee’s father is no gem, either. Still, the story is compelling. I had to find out what happened to Bernadette.
One of my all time favorite books; a must read in my opinion!!!
I guess I do not enjoy self absorbed characters – this book was all about feelings and a self absorbed woman and her every thought and feeling – not much of a story for me
This is the story of Bernadette Fox. She has vanished.
Ms. Fox is on the brink of a breakdown. She has been worn down by years of trying to live in a life she never wanted. After her daughter picks an Antarctica trip for a reward for getting great grades in school, Bernadette throws herself in the preparing the trip. A school fundraiser goes …
Will be a great movie. Very funny
I loved this book! Where’d You Go Bernadette was a funny family story about a non-conventional family. I loved Bernadette and Bee and you will also, their story is amazing and heartfelt. The story is written in emails, letters and other correspondence which makes this book unique.
Bernadette Fox – a McArthur award winning architect has moved with her family to Seattle. They own an old girl’s school that they always planned to fix up, but never got around to it. Bernadette is an introvert genius who doesn’t like to be around people. Most of all, she despises the mothers (she calls gnats) at her 15 year old daughter’s …
I just saw the trailer for the movie version of this book, which prompted me to revisit the review I originally left on Amazon a couple of years ago. It’s short, but reflects my admiration for the book and the narrative style:
“The plot gets a bit outrageous, but Semple writes so well and she had me cracking up throughout the book. A very …
Loved this book with its unique way of telling a story.
The unique format and structure lends to the fun mystery. The main character is young, strong and fascinating just like the mother. A great read, loads of fun.
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I don’t remember when or where I found this book or why I decided to add a sample to my Kindle, but thank God I did. Semple’s work in this novel is nothing less than brilliant. Her satire of so many aspects of modern life – from education and dropping off your children at school to the mechanics of working at Microsoft – are spot on. Add the …
A delight. Different, easy read. Quirky and engaging characters. Original plot.
“Funny without being stupid “